God To be a part of His strategic world transformation plan Wants You!

Questions Why would God want to use me? How does He want to use me? What does He want me to do? What does His training process look like?

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. Mark 3:13 NIV

He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. Mark 3:14-15 NIV

These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Mark 3:16-19 NIV

“It was a strange group of men our Lord chose Four of them were fishermen, one a hated tax collector, another a member of to be his disciples. Four of them were fishermen, one a hated tax collector, another a member of a radical and violent political party. Of six of them we know practically nothing. All were laymen. There was not a preacher or an expert in the Scriptures in the lot. Yet it was with these men that Jesus established his church and disseminated his Good News to the end of the earth”. (Expositors Bible Commentary)

Big Idea: God has specific plans to develop you and use you for His Kingdom work despite your weaknesses, failures and setbacks just as he did his disciples.

“Fortunately, God made all varieties of people with a wide variety of interests and abilities. He has called people of every race and color who have been hurt by life in every manner imaginable. Even the scars of past abuse and injury can be the means of bringing healing to another. What wonderful opportunities to make disciples!” Charles R. Swindoll

What kind of people did God use? Ordinary, broken, sinful people…. Who accepted God’s invitation… And who eventually became his laborers Why would God use me?

How does God want to use me? 1) Full time laborers The disciples (students, apprentices) who were later known as the Apostles (sent ones—Leaders and teachers) 2 Kinds of Laborers

How does God want to use me? ) Non-full time laborers 2) Non-full time laborers Laborers who stayed in conventional careers (laymen or laypeople) 2 Kinds of Laborers

EXAMPLES OF “LAY LABORERS” IN THE BIBLE Military personnel – Cornelius Prison employees — Paul’s prison guard Business people — Lydia…Dealer in purple cloth Paul, Aquila and Priscilla…Tentmakers Intellectuals – Apollos…An intelligent and very eloquent man

Join God’s work fulltime Join God’s work fulltime Support God’s work with your resources Support God’s work with your resources Do God’s work at your place of work Do God’s work at your place of work Levels of Involvement

What does God want me to do? 1)Preach the good news Share the news that Jesus came to set the captives free and give people abundant and eternal life How?  With our words  With our lives God Wants You!

2) Cast out Demons? – Fight against evil manifestations in the world – Expose evil by shining the light of your good life – Overcome evil with good God Wants You! What does God want me to do?

As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near. ’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Matt. 10:7-8

3) Become God’s agents of healing and hope in a world full of suffering and sadness. What does God want me to do? God Wants You!

What does the training process look like?

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13

God’s Training Process 1) Be with Him (Spiritual leaders and other disciples) 2) Learn from Him (Spiritual leaders and other disciples) 3) Be sent by Him 3) Be sent by Him (Spiritual leaders and other disciples)

ABC’s of becoming God’s Laborer A — Accept His Invitation to become His disciple (student, apprentice) B — Become a member of a community of faith and go through the training with other disciples C — Commit yourself to becoming one of God’s strategic “world transforming” agents through Praying, Caring, and Sharing.